In
this paper, we have synthesized the two-dimensional (2D) MXene
layers and acid activated carbon (AAC) into a 3D conductive network
structure, which could prevent the serious aggregation of 2D MXene
layers. Two-dimensional MXene furnishes a new perspective and possibility
to assemble flexible and conductive electrodes without any current
collector, binders, or conductive additives when applied to energy
storage devices. In the 3D conductive network architecture, the AAC
particles are enclosed by the MXene flakes and enlarge the interlamellar
spacing of MXene and considerably improve the electrochemical performance.
The flexible MXene/AAC 2:1 electrode exhibits a high specific capacity
(378 F g–1 at 0.5 A g–1). Also,
MXene/AAC 2:1 electrode shows an excellent capacitance retention (88.9%
at 30 A g–1). In addition, the MXene/AAC compounds
with different mass ratios used as positive electrodes and AAC used
as the negative electrode to assemble asymmetrical supercapacitors
exhibit exceptional electrochemical performances. The MXene/AAC 2:1//AAC
achieves a high specific capacity (177 F g–1 at
0.5 A g–1) and an excellent capacitance retention
(97.4% retention after 10 000 cycles). Impressively, the 3D
conductive network structure of MXene/AAC compounds achieved noteworthy
adsorption capacity (311.5 mg/g) to remove methylene blue (MB).
As developing nations strive for economic sustainability, effort is geared towards exploiting biomass materials that could have alternative uses to their conventional low valued uses in order to achieve this goal. It is because of this that palm kernel shell, a byproduct of oil palm processing, is characterized for its application in construction and water treatment industries. The materials physical and chemical properties determined using standard methods show that it can find useful application in light weight construction as material filler and as sorbent material for industrial water treatment. The results of the x-ray photo spectrometry (XPS) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) reveal that the palm kernel shell (PKS) contains surface elements, morphology and crystalline qualities well required of material fillers in construction and adsorption industries. These can add to the market values of palm kernel shell as against its direct combustion and wastage of the material at oil palm processing mills.
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